Atomizer



1943- E. B. HUNN ETAL 2,332,799

ATOMIZER Filed Jan. 10, 1942 Patented Oct. 26; 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT ol r-Pica 2,332,799

. ATOMIZ ER Edward B. Hunn, Cranford; and Anton Harmsen,

Elizabeth, N. .J., assignors to Stanco IncorporategLa corporation of Delaware Application January 10, 1947?, Serial No. 42 6,? 06 x This invention relates. to a small compact atomizing device of a size and'shape convenient for carrying about ones person and suited for dispensing liquids in a dense finely diifused spray from liquid impregnated materials contained therein. The invention relates particularly to asmall pocket-size relatively inexpensive atomizer device for injecting medicinal liquids into the nasal and oralpassages of the body in a relatively uniform, finely diflused spray from liquidimpregnated materials supplied in cartridge form as required.

The invention may be fully understood from reading the following description and the illustrations afiorded in the accompanying drawing of specific embodiments, the same numerals being given to similarly related parts.

Figure l is. a vertical view of one form of the assembled atomizing device, partly in section,

showing the five principal parts of the atomizer; (a) cap member I (b) body member l; (0)

compression member or pressure. element 20;

(d) refill cartridge 30; (e) sealing member 40.

Figure 2 is 'a cross-sectional view along line I-I of Figure 1. I

' Figure 3 is a vertical section through the unassembled atomizer device with thepartsrela tivelyarranged so as to indicate the manner of assembling; Figures 3a and 3b being end views .metals are generally consideredsuitable.

. respectively of the cylindrical refillable cartridge.

Figure 4 is a perspective viewof a second and rectangularform of refill cartridge for the atom- .izing device; Figure 4a is a. longitudinal cross .sectional view of the cartridge, Figure 4b is the rectangular shell portion, Figure 4c is the closed.

end view of the shell portion, Figure 4d is the sectional view of the flanged cap and'Figure 4c is the front view of the flanged cap.

The cap member I is simply a dust cap made .of any suitable rigid material not acted upon .-0r corroded by materials used in the atomizer.

the nozzle]! of.the body member I. The cap is usually between /2 inch and inch longand of conical or hemispherical external shape. The.

cap may or may not be fitted with a gasket 3.

The body member I0 is a tubular element open at both ends with a nozzle portion II. The tubular element may be externally either of circular or polygonal cross section and internally of jfthrough the liquid saturated packing. This end rests" against the shoulder l3 of the body member I0. The other end of the shell or cas- 1 Claim. (01. 1235175) either circular or rectangular ,cross section. It may be "made ofany suitable rigid material not actedupon or corroded by the liquids to be used in the atomizer; such materials are glass, metal,

etc., but preferably molded plastic or metal. The tubular element is usually between 1 inches and 1% inches longand oi-minimum wall thickness consistent with rigidity of construction asdetermined bythe nature of thematerial of construction: Thus; when plastic materials are employed; the thickness will be greater than when metallic materials are employed. The

nozzle II is usually fitted with threads l2 (or lugs) for engagement with the screw threads 2 (or slots) on the cap I. Thejunctionof the nozzle l I with the main body. member forms the shoulder 13. The other; end of the bodyl member is threaded'as indicated by "numeralfrld. The

body member 1018 connected to'the compression member 20 by compressing the member 20 against the'body member and sealing by screwing the" sealing member 40. over the threads [4. Sealing in this manner insures arr airtight, fluidtight connection. v

The compression member or pressure element 20 c0ns'ists"0f' a cylindrical pieceof rubberzor other resilient material openat oneend. When the liquid to be atomized is an oil it ispreferable vto'have this compression member made of neoprene" or other" synthetic rubber which is not afiected gby-contact withfloils. The open end has a forwardly. directed i annular enlargement 2| carrying an inwardly directed flange 22. It is usual inxthe compression member to have an airhole 24 ofabout 1 5' inch in diameter in the side of the bulb over which the thumb in the use .of the atomizingdevice is to be placed during the compression troke.

The refill cartridge is a sealed shell 3| of plastic or other suitablematerial filled with an absorbent packing 32; which issaturated with the liquid to be atomized. The shell 31 is of minimum, thickness consistent with strength and rigidity to maintain-its shape while in service.

About 0.025 inch thickness is considered the maximum One en'd of this shell or casing is pierced with 'a smallhole 33 of diameter about half of the thickne'ss of the casing. that iszapproximately 0.0125 inch, through which the liquid isatomized when suflicient air is; forced ing is closed by a sealing member 3i a having one or more larger holes 34 through which air is forced when the refill cartridge is fitted into the body member i and the compression member 2!] is compressed. This end of the cartridge fits into the recess formed by the annular enlargement 2| and the inwardly directed flange 22 of the compression member 20 forming a sealdue to the U I om being -i orced around the outsidel of the H 3! of thecartridge when the bulbis compressed. The preferred construction of this refill cartridge 39 is to have the shell made of rectangular or square, thin opaqif' plastic material such as of cellulose aceta elm; which is not affected by contactwith the. liquids. usually employed in the atomizerdevice; 111170; the shell 3! is inserted thepacking material 32-. I which consists preferably of felt or other suit able material in one piec andf of'such shape? n the unit is assembled its inner surfacesis thereby avoided. Also no air is drawn through the nozzle opening and hole .33 on the release stroke, thus eliminating one of the main causes of clogging of the opening due to mucous being drawn in and extremely difficult to remove because. of the smallness of the hole 33 and the-nature of mucous material.

Furthermore, without fthe. hole .24 itis impossible that it completely fills the shell 3L, Insealing the shell 3| with the member 3la. the absorbent .packing'must'becompressed slightly so that it presses; firmly ;.agai nsttthe small hole. .33 which 'serves'as' sne-nozz1e.=. ,-nn alternative construetion of the refill;hartridgev is shown. in Figure *4 V .which has for-1a.; sealing member '3ia, a flanged 'cap' of .constructionishown .inaFYigures-" id and 4e. z'Ihe flange 351=ofthis cap closely contacts the innersurfaceiof:the body member In near the openend'threaded with' the. threads M; In this 7 :form otconstruction-.this-'end oflthey-refill cartridgesfits so snuglyrinto-xtherecess formed'by the annular-enlargement 2t and the inwardly directedlifiange 2-2'and agains'trthe body member il 0 that alltheair from the-compression member 20 passe's z-throughitheopenings ,34' and through a u-tTheisealing tnember'idfl consists of a: band. or =ferrule made'of metal ior' other." suitable material which may: be threaded ;as indicated :bynumeral '1 '4! so asizto engagezupon-thei threads M of the body memberrln. .ixAs .alternativesto the screw and thread any other. suitable means maybe employedfor the engagement of-the sealingmemher with the body member, suchas 'bayonet type lugs oh one member andeslots or'rthe'other. The i preferred form-of thissealing member is a-thin F etal ferrule'or bandn I I i The completed devicetasindicated in Figure l f-unctions ;as 1 an atomizer when the compression member 20 .is compressed and its air content is y forced through the liquid impregnated absorbent packing 32 in the refillicartridge 30.. The 'passage ofgrelatively larg yolume of air from the compression member through 't'heliquid saturated *absorbent material 32 slightly compressed against q the very fine-hole in the cartridge 30. produces a very: fine; spray. 'This fine spray. emerges through the opening in the nozzle' 'l..|:-When the cap l'lis removed. The construction of the nozzle -I-ili wherel'a'y the-area :ofxsmallest interior cross- "section is aseme distance from the end is. highly advantageous when the device isemployed as an atomizerfior the rna'salupassages in preventing to utilizeefa large portionoi th v V contained in the cartridge. Apparently this is because the liquid is pushed back from the nozzle opening by air upon the release stroke. With the hole 24 all the air which goes through the packing in the and tends to force the liquid This makes for more comfof 'the medicament contained in v embodiments The general nature of this embodiment is given in Figure 1 The cap member-I and1the body member 1.0 are made of; molded plasticmaterial of about 0.025 inch thigkness. The cap member of gnicalw ha e -9/1e; 1 rlc .sizehe-cams inwardly threaded to engage upon the threaded nozzle portion ll.of-the bodyzmember lOiof 1% inches on to Which-there is'fitted {an elongated b l w than a r me-25 n the bcdyiz emher tilisfitted the refill cartridge whichdsxa rect g la pri m-h in .as des-of; nch a d is 7 14/ inches; long. The; hole the refill; cartridge is approximately figulzfiinch inpdiamete'r. The unit. is assembledby compressing the com- .pressionmember 20-over the head of theirefill cartridge 3U vvln'chv fits. snugly-into, :therrecess iormed in the compression; member '20 by. the

annular enlargementvjil andlinwardly directed flange 2.2. When thevcartridge 'isasuitabiyfimpregnated with -,medicinal liquid'the device pro- ;vides .a simple and. efiective .means of. forming a finely dense;spray5,of the 'me'di'cirial liquid.

' "Althoughitheinvention has been disclosedawith referencewto thespecific embodiments thereof;- it is not intended thatqany iimitation shall be lmplied thereby. The novelty andscopef'ofthe in- ..vention -is duly set forth in .the following claim.

Y I, An atomizer device for.inj'ectingmedicinal lid;-

into thenasal and; oral passages of :the body, which comprises a tubular. body .member. open at ;its:i'nletendangl provided'with-a nozzle at its 4 discharge end *adapted *for insertion 'into said -passages,-ia"=s,eptum across .thabody member at thQJbELSG of the. nozzle and provided with'a sma'll atomizing hcle ofsabout' /so inch in diameter, a compression bulb engaging the iiilet end of'the tubular body member inhirtight,"fillid 'tighFilation, the bulb having an air'hole w permit directiniiat'ion with air; a cartridge of thin ma- 'terial 1n thel body member having a; small atomizer :hole in:- the discharge'e'nd of; the cartridge adjoining the septum and in alignment with the :hole infthe septum, the cartridge ,having' relaj tively large openings at its inlet end adjacent the ".bulb, the cartridge] containing" absorbent matcrialgflthe cart-ridge being compressed between the :septum and the bulb-bye flange protruding" iriwardly from the bulb; and-a-cap removablyaffiXed-to the nozzle carrying a gasket 'adapt'ed to provide a fluid; seal against .:the discharge en-d of the-nozzle." i

. r EDWARD 'BmHUNN.

' A TON -I-I-ARMSEN. 

